The Seibu Lions grabbed the top spot in the Pacific League on Wednesday, sinking the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 4-1 after Tomoya Mori connected on a three-run double with two outs in the third.
Starting a half-game behind the Hawks, the Lions made their opportunities count on a milestone night at MetLife Dome for closer Tatsushi Masuda, who recorded his 100th career save.
The win puts the PL pennant holders atop the standings for the first time this season, with the Japan Series champion Hawks falling into second place for the first time since June 24.